Introducing Urwerk’s Lethal New Timepiece: The UR-150 Scorpion

Urwerk is back with an electrifying innovation: the UR-150 Scorpion, a dramatic evolution of its iconic satellite hours complication. While its rounded casing suggests serenity, the UR-150 harbors a highly dynamic mechanism that strikes in just one-hundredth of a second, much like its namesake.

Felix Baumgartner, Urwerk’s master watchmaker and co-founder, draws an analogy to Muhammad Ali’s famous mantra, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” capturing the spirit of the UR-150. However, this timepiece embodies a more lethal creature: the scorpion. Its bold nickname not only references its powerful 240-degree minutes sector, reminiscent of a scorpion’s tail, but also hints at the watch’s retrograde minutes hand, poised to unleash its lightning-fast mechanism every hour.

Baumgartner emphasizes the juxtaposition of the scorpion’s aggressive symbolism with the UR-150’s sleek design. “We inhabit an extreme world because we are anything but ordinary,” he shares, laughing. This essence is reflected in the mechanical feat of the UR-150 Scorpion, featuring a new satellite complication driven by a flying wheel and pinion system. The retrograde mechanism channels the artistry of mechanical automatons, where the hour satellites perform a synchronized dance, rotating 270° while the retrograde hand jumps 240° at the turn of each hour. The spectacle is enhanced by a spring mechanism, doubling the gap between the “60” and “0” markers, creating a bold, expansive 240° arc.

This complex choreography required Urwerk to develop unique components, including a specialized spring machined in-house to handle the immense energy demands of this retrograde system. To ensure perfect timing, a speed regulator fitted to the flywheel controls the rapid movement of the retrograde hand, smoothing the transition like a minute repeater’s chime sequence.

The artistic design of the UR-150 Scorpion aligns with Urwerk’s evolving aesthetics, where the organic lines of the case harmonize with the sapphire crystal’s spherical profile. Martin Frei, Urwerk’s Creative Director and co-founder, explains: “We play with tension between the gentle curves of the case and the aggressive movement within. Beauty, for us, emerges through this field of contrasts.” Viewed from the side, the watch’s curved profile not only enhances ergonomics but also mirrors the slope of the hour satellites and hand, offering effortless readability without twisting the wrist.